It is known to coat various comestibles, such as fish or chicken, with a coating which on baking provides a product which attempts to simulate one which has been fried or deep-fat fried. Many such coatings are dry mixes which are applied to a moistened surface of a comestible as a dry mix (not a batter) to adhere to the comestible. Others are in the form of combined batter and breading mixes wherein the breading is relied upon to give a crispness and appearance somewhat characteristic of a fried or deep-fat fried comestible. A third category of coatings of the prior art are premixed, storage-stable batters which require refrigeration, but which can be applied to the surface of a comestible.
As far as is known, it is believed to be novel to provide a dry mix, which on blending with water and liquid vegetable oil, provides a batter having, on baking, a fried or deep-fat fried appearance, texture and taste.
Dry mixes are known to prepare batters for a variety of products, for instance cakes. The product of the present invention is readily distinguishable from a cake or bread as the end product has neither the light, soft, airy texture of a cake, nor the bready texture of a bread product. Rather, the end product coating of the present invention is in the nature of a true coating, having a unique crisp texture, an irregular, variegated, but browned appearance, and resembling in these and other respects, which will become apparent, a fried or deep-fat fried, batter coated product.
In this respect, frying or deep fat frying of a batter coated comestible imparts a unique, crisp, slightly oily, golden-browned appearance to a comestible. The coating usually is irregular in shape and although substantially continuous on the surface of the comestible, is not completely continuous since some of the coating is removed or eroded from the surface by the frying step or agitation of oil in the deep fryer. The surface is only partly uniform in appearance, but again, not completely so, being characterized by interspersed dark and light brown areas, and large, small and medium sized particles.
It is an object of the present invention to simulate this type of an appearance and texture in a baked product.
Prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,623,825 to Tressler et al, describes a batter mix which is about 70% flour, 8% dehydrated whole egg, 5% non-fat dry milk solids, 9% melted vegetable shortening and 1% pectin. The shortening is added slowly, in melted form, to the dry ingredients with continuous mixing. The batter is designed specifically for deep-fat frying, and for use with a breading mix to obtain what is said to be a rich, brown crust. The composition is notably low in oil content, and would not be suitable for baking.
Prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,654, to Lipka et al, is directed to a breading coating suitable for baking of comestibles. The breading in this patent contains a flour, as a starch source, and gluten as a gluten source, optionally mixed with oil. The patent is not directed to the preparation of batter, or a dry mix for batters.
Prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,512, to Mancuso et al, describes a dry-flowable mix type of coating which can be applied to a food item by shaking the mix and food item together in a closed envelope. The dry mix contains a powdered fat, farinaceous material, flavoring ingredients, and a dye which, on cooking, develops a desired color. The dry mix is not suitable for preparation of a batter and application, as such, to a comestible for subsequent baking.
The Mancuso et al patent refers to a prior Rogers et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,910,370, which discloses frozen poultry coated with a flavored batter containing bread, flour and water. The batter-coated food is treated with a supplementary breading and fat coating and frozen. The breading and fat are relied upon to impart a brown color to the foodstuff when baked, said to simulate a pan-browned or deep-fat fried food. The batter preparation without breading would not give a crisp, browned appearance and texture.
Mancuso et al also makes reference to the concept of providing a coating which has a "high content of saturated fat combined with stearin" to provide an appearance, color and texture similar to that of a coated, deep-fat fried food. It is not clear in the patent what kind of coating the reference is to.
Prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,158 to Fischer et al, describes what is said to be a conventional, wet, puff-batter mix suitable for baking or frying, comprising a blend of wheat and corn flour, flavorings, leavening agent and other ingredients. A breading also is applied to obtain crispness. A characteristic of the method of this patent is the use of what is said to be a gel-forming material such as casein or alginate, which provides a skin over the food product, the wet batter then being applied to the skin-enveloped product. Although the patent makes reference to baking, in addition to frying, no examples specific to baking are given. There is no disclosure of a dry batter premix, or a batter mix having a high fat or shortening content. A similar disclosure, is set forth in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,137, also to Fischer et al.
Prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,827, to Lee et al, describes a batter dry mix for a batter consisting of flour, shortening, corn starch and flavorants. The dry mix is blended with milk and a raw egg to form a batter. A second dry breading mix is also used to obtain color and crispness. The batter and breading mixes are said to simulate, on baking, a fat-fried texture and appearance. The batter itself is of a different type than in the present invention.
One problem with the process of this patent is that it requires two separate pouches; one for the batter ingredients, and one for the dry breading mix coating, and complicated consumer preparation.
Prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,501, to Fazzina et al, describes a coating of the dry mix type adapted to be applied to a moistened foodstuff. The coating of this patent is not a batter. The coating comprises a relatively high level of shortening (10-50%) with 8-35% farinaceous material, 15-35% starch hydrolyzate, and 5-18% modified food starch.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,442, to Evans et al, describes a coating premix, which is also not a batter, comprising 60-78% bulking agent (flour plus crumbs or fines) 3-13% protein, and 4-13% binding agent. The flours can be wheat, potato, tapioca, rice and corn. The rice and corn flour are said to be useful for "optimum crispness". The protein is gelatin, sodium caseinate, soy protein isolate, and egg albumin. The binding agent is modified starch and dextrin. Similar dry-coating (not batter) disclosures are contained in subsequent U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,218,485 (Lee et al) and 4,260,637 (Rispoli et al). The latter patent is a dry bread crumb coating and includes wheat gluten as a suitable source of protein.
The Evans et al patent refers to the prior Lee et al (U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,827) and Mancuso et al (U.S. Pat. No. 2,910,370) patents, and the problems experienced with the coatings thereof in terms of texture and mouth feel characteristics.
Prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,566, to Meyer et al, also refers to the disadvantages of the Lee et al and Rispoli coatings (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,843,827 and 4,068,009) and also the Mancuso et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,512, and allegedly overcomes these disadvantages by the provision of a shelf-stable prepared batter (which is not a dry mix).